Fencing Games

Footwork and Distance Games

Black and White.

Two teams, one is black, the other white. They line up facing each other at a center line, on guard. Each has a rear line some distance back. Instructor shouts 'black' or 'white', then the team named must try to tag all the members of the opposing team before they make it over their rear line, using correct fencing footwork.

Chocolate Race (AKA "The carrot and the stick")

Fencers pair up at one end of the strip/training area. One holds a small bag containing chocolates or other inducement (M&M's and Smarties last longer). They then retreat as the 2nd fencer pursues them down the strip, using whatever footwork has been approved. The chocolate-holder must not move their hand from the on-guard position, and must not cause the distance between them to increase substantially. The pursuer must attempt to grab the bag. If they succeed, they get to have a chocolate, if they reach the far end without success, the chocolate-holder gets one.
At the far end, the bag gets exchanged and now the 1st fencer pursues while the 2nd fencer retreats. If you want to use the fleche, the chocolate holder should be allowed some minimal arm movement to try and avoid the attack.

Simon Says (and other childrens games)

I think we all know the rules to this one. If Simon says it, you do it, if the coach says it, you don't. A darned cruel game in my opinion, but perhaps that's just because I'm bad at it. It's intended to make you think before you react.

A similar adaption is "What's the time (Mr Wolf/Darth Vader/other Evil Person)".
Traditionally this involves the group of kids shouting the above line, and Mr Wolf replying a certain time, say 6 o'clock, which sees everyone take 6 steps forward. When Mr Wolf decides they're close enough, he replies "dinner time" and attempts to catch one of them.
So, substitute fencing footwork for the stepping forward/running away, and voila, instant fencing game.
If you want to be really clever, ask for fencing-time, and perform footwork equal to that timing.

Hand Fencing (1)

This is fencing without a weapon, a bit of fun that most fencers indulge in sometime when they're feeling jumpy and don't have a weapon close at hand. The aim is to hit you opponent according to whatever rules you've set up. Generally parries aren't allowed (after all, when is wrist hit a parry?) but everything is optional.
The trick is to use distance and footwork to overcome your shorter reach, particularly effective if you otherwise try to maintain normal fencing distance. Works well in conjunction with limited moves (see next section).

Hand Fencing (2)

Fencers face each other without weapons, hands held palm out. Using only footwork, they must attempt to slap the others hand while avoiding having their own slapped.
Resisting the urge to move your arm is the hardest part of this game... Variations:

1. Use both hands.
2. Use feet (ie: try to stamp on the other persons leading foot).

Resistance footwork

This is intended to achieve the same thing as dragging a tyre around is supposed to achieve for runners. One fencer does their footwork, while another holds them back by some means or another. A towel around the waist apparently works, simply grabbing their waist is less than ideal (from personal experience).

Mask Game

One fencer holds a mask in front of them, the other places their hand lightly on the front mesh. The holder of the mask must then try to make their partner loose contact with the mask using only footwork (no arm movements allowed). This may include limiting how many steps can be taken in each direction.

Fencing Hopscotch

You all know hopscotch, right? A lot of sqares that you hop along, jumping over a stone which you have to pick up on your way back.
In fencing hopscotch the squares are bigger, and in a straight line, but otherwise essentially the same. Each square must be entered in a specific way, it might just be step-forward, or it might include balestra's, crossing-over, etc. Throw your rock/equivilent onto each square in turn. I think an example is needed at this point

Throw rock/equivilent on square 3 of 5. Step into 1, step into 2, lunge over 3, recovering forwards into 4, stept into 5, turn around. Lunge to pick up the stone in 3 recover backwards, step into 4, step into 3, 2, 1, finish.
I'm not sure how you cope with a stone in 5, perhaps you're supposed to get bored and give up before then. Until someone corrects me, let's say you lunge from 3 on your way up.

Races

Nothing like a traditional race to get people moving. It can be straight up and back, or for a bit more exercise break it into stages. ie; forward 1/3 of the way, back, forward 2/3 of the way, back, forward all the way and back again. (And optionally repeat in reverse order).

Bladework Games

King and Defenders (Also goes by many other names)

One fencer is king, and he has a number of defenders, usually 4. It's up to you whether you let the king have a sword or not. The rest of the fencers are charged with killing the king before he reaches the far end of the training area. If a defender is killed, he has to go back to the start line and catch up with the king from there. If a fencer is killed they go back to the end line and try again.

Battle Lines (AKA "The Line" and "Musketeers & Guardsmen")

The fencers line up on either side of a visible line, in two equal groups. They are not allowed to cross the line with both feet to attack, but must wait for the other fencers to stray within reach. (Timid fencers make for long battles).
There are two versions, in one fencers who are hit leave the field, in the other they join the opposing team. Either way, the 1st side to loose all it's fencers, looses. I like the latter version, it means everyone ends up on the winning team.

War (AKA "Capture the Flag")

Sort of a combination of the above two. There are two kings, each with a couple of bodyguards and a small army. Each army is charged with killing the opposing king.
This means you must fight your way through the opposing army, and the bodyguards, to kill the unarmed king, without letting the opposition get through to kill your king. Fencers who are hit on target leave the field. Optionally you can replace killing a king with grabbing a flag/other significant token.
A variation allows a team 'doctor' to revive 'dead' players on the field, until he gets killed himself.

The Bridge

The strip is a bridge. A fencer guards the bridge. It's up to you whether or not you give him/her the title of troll. The rest of the fencers want to cross the bridge. In the tradition of the three Billy Goats you may want to order them weakest to strongest, but that's optional.
To cross the Bridge, they must defeat the guard. When they defeat him, the victor takes his place, and you keep going/start again. Defeated fencers can either litter the bridge (keeping masks on and ducking as necessary), or fall into the river and leave the field/magically come back to life.

Limited Moves Fencing / Scenario Fencing

Okay, so these tend to be more drills than games, but they deserve a mention.
Limited moves means, of course, that you can only use certain moves. This can be anything from "What the beginners know", to "attack only with feint disengage, no parries allowed."
Scenario fencing means you're given a scenario, and have to fence accordingly. This can be as simple as "the score is 4-4, next score wins" to "The referee seems to be counting any forward movement as an attack".
The two can of course be combined with considerable success, and the two fencers can be given different (possibly secret) instructions.

Speed and Reflex Games

Glove Game

Surely the oldest of all speed games. Your partner drops a glove in front of a wall. Your task: To lunge quickly enough to pin the glove against the wall with your point.
Easy, right?

Dropping Balls

1. Catch the ball with a lunge.
2. First person has two balls, one in each hand, and can drop either one for their partner to catch.
3. Both hold one or two balls, have to drop one of their balls and catch their partners.
4. Partner places their hand over top of first fencers, where they can feel as well as see the drop.
5. As for 4, but close your eyes.

Dropping Weapons

If you have a partner, get them to drop a foil (held horizontally) in front of you. Then try to catch it by bringing your hand down on top of it.
Alternatively, drop it yourself. Either hold it from above, and then catch it from underneath, or vice-versa. If this is proving too easy, try clapping your hands in between the drop and the catch.
I strongly recommend you do not use electric foils for this if you can avoid it. Practice foils are much less touchy when it comes to be dropped on the floor, your armourer will thank you.

Variations:

1. Catch the weapon on the lunge.
2. Hold and drop the weapon vertically, so that it will land on the pommel if they're not quick enough.
3. Catcher gently rests their hand on the weapon (held vertically) and closes their eyes. Try to feel when it is released.
4. Stand the weapon on its pommel on the ground. When ready, let it tilt away from the fencer who must lunge to catch it before it falls over.
5. Use a glove instead of a weapon. (A change of pace is often useful).

Catch.

In pairs (or one thrower for a group), a glove is tossed to a fencer on guard who must try to catch it on his point.

Variations:

1. Throw the glove from the side instead of from the front.
2. Throw a ring which the fencer must get his point through the middle of.
3. Throw a tennis ball which must be hit.
4. Include footwork.

Quick Lunge

Two fencers stand on guard (without foils), back foot to back foot. A third party shouts "left" or "right" (or some other identifying word) at random, at which point the nominated fencer (say left) must lunge as quickly as possible, while the right fencer throws their hand back and attempts to hit the left fencer.
The idea here is that if you lunge quickly enough, you'll be out of the way and they won't hit you. It does work provided you don't pair up an archetypal epeeist with an archetypal sabreur.

Ball Fencing

Standing a couple of meters apart, one fencer is designated leader and he controls distance. The leader may throw his ball in an arc to his partner whenever he likes, the partner then throws their ball to him, and catches the one first thrown.

Variation: bounce the balls as you move.

Get-rid-off-the-balls.

This is a group game, where two teams are place in their own half of a marked area. In each area is 3 or 4 balls (more if you like chaos). On command, the teams must try and roll their balls into the opposing teams area, with the aim of having no balls at all in theirs. First team to achieve this wins. Again, if you like chaos and have soft balls, allow them to throw them rather than roll.

Tag.

Another group game. The group stands in marked off area, one person stands on either side. These two roll (or throw) a ball through the crowd, aiming to hit people with it. If hit, the person moves out of the group and helps try to tag people still left. In the end you'll have the whole group trying to hit the last person left standing.

Defender.

Group stands in a circle, one person stands defenceless in the center and can't move. A second person is the defender. The group may pass the (soft!) ball amongst themselves, and take shots at the center person. If they hit him, then the defender becomes the target, the successful thrower becomes the defender, and the target can retreat to the safety of the circle.

Towel Game

Each fencer holds one end of a towel, one pulls on it, and the other follows with a lunge. This is intended to enforce the "lead with the arm" rule of lunging.

Shoot Out

This one is probably most suited to epee, where counter attacks are encouraged. However it could concievably also be used to cure fencers that break off their attack as soon as their opponent launches a counter-attack.
Fencers stand at a little over lunge or step-lunge distance (or whatever attack you wish to practice). On command, they both launch immediately into the designated attack as quickly as possible.
I suspect it's very important to get the distance right, or there'll be some horrible bruises after a while.

Juggling.

You know what this is, good for coordination, reflexes, concentration and patience. Also builds arm strength.

Balance and Co-ordination Games

Slow Motion / Stop Motion

Much as it sounds. Fence a bout or drill in slow motion, the step and the lunge are where your balance is going to be tested. It also gives you a chance to really think about the timing of your parries.
Stop motion involves making your movements at full speed, but breaking them up into their component parts, it's up to you whether you allow hand and leg movements to be made simultaneously or not.

Eg. balestra/feint, stop, disengage/lunge, stop, recover, stop. retreat, stop, parry, stop, riposte, stop.
With this one, any lack of balance after the balestra or lunge will become embarrasingly obvious.

Log Fencing

This involves fencing along a narrow raised surface. I think we can all see the danger in this, so let me stress that this is only for experienced foolhardy fencers. From personal experience, I suggest using a flat surface, rather than the traditional rounded log, and a straight one. (Not, for example, a raised round flowerbed. Retreating in an arc is quite tricky.)
A safer alternative may be to fence along a narrow line, with people keeping a close eye on your feet to make sure you don't step off it.

Hop Fencing

This one is extremely undignified, and girls, make sure you're wearing your best sports bra.
As you can probably guess, this involves fencing on one leg, advancing and retreating is achieved by hopping. Your challenge: to split your attention between staying upright and parrying that attack.
For an added challange, try using your non-preffered leg.

3-Legged Fencing

This one requires a fairly close-knit club where fencers don't mind clinging to each other for mutual stability. I'm not sure how much of this requires good balance, and how much is just teamwork, but either way it looks like fun.
As per the traditional 3-legged race, two people tie their nearest legs together. One of the pair will be fencing left handed, the other right handed, so this will probably also give people practice fencing with their off-hand, and fencing against left-handers.
Let the bout commence. A hit to either body of the pair counts, so get used to defending a larger target area. Also remember to watch your partner, don't try to step back while they're in the middle of a lunge!

Pass.

Two groups, line up at either end of the area. Person at head passes the ball to the person at the head of the other team with a bounce, or rather they throw it off at some angle after various feints requiring the other person to run after it while they run to join the end of the other team.

Variation: Give them two balls, only one of which will be thrown. Makes it harder for the recipient to guess which way to run.

Hackey-Sack.

Group stands in a circle. Kick a hackeysack (little beanbag type thing, usually grain filled) or ball from person to person, aiming not to let it touch the ground and not use the hands.